Recently, information processing devices are used in various systems. However, in an information processing device, power consumption varies according to changes in the demand for processing load and a processing state such that an application has a peak time. As such, in order to realize stable operation, power control in an information processing device is important. Particularly, in an information processing device such as a server device in which full-time operation is required, it is necessary to prevent server down due to power supply shortage.
As a technology to control power of an information processing device corresponding to the above-described situation, a technology called a power peak assist function, as shown in Patent Document 1, has been known. In order to realize such a power peak assist function, first, a power supply unit and a battery are provided as a power supply module. Then, in addition to power supply from the power supply unit to the information processing device, the power used by the information processing device is assisted by power supply from the battery, by the power peak assist function.
Here, an example of the power peak assist function will be further described specifically. First, in order to realize the power peak assist function, in addition to the power supply module described above, a peak assist control unit, which controls the amount of power supplied from the power supply unit and the battery to the information processing device, is provided. The peak assist control unit detects the residual amount of the battery from the power supply module, and based on the information, instructs the information processing device of permissible power consumption. Thereby, the information processing device is able to perform operation within the range of the instructed power consumption, and the power is supplied from the power supply unit and the battery up to the power consumption value. Further, in the case where the residual amount of the battery is in short, the peak assist control unit controls the information processing device to operate within the power value available only from the power supply unit.
Patent Document 1: JP 2003-150281 A
However, if the power peak assist function is used as described above, there is a case where the peak assist control unit is unable to control power consumption of an information processing device due to contingencies such as malfunction of the peak assist control unit or network overload. In that case, the information processing device may operate by using power of a larger value than the power available only from the power supply unit, which may cause a problem that the information processing device goes down due to power shortage. Further, such a problem may also be caused in the case where the information processing device continues operation by using power of a larger value than the power available only from the power supply unit due to any conditions, not by an instruction from the power peak assist function.